LAND AHOY!

Meet your private driver outside your accommodation, then sit back and enjoy the ride to the enchanting medieval town of Portovenere. Here your guide and skipper will be waiting ready to lead you on a boat tour around the three islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto, declared World Heritage Sites in 1997, together with Portovenere. Hop aboard and let the adventure begin! As you cruise along the limpid waters of the Ligurian Sea, take in unbeatable views of the coastline punctuated with pastel-coloured houses and medieval walls hewn out of the rock.

Though tiny, all three islets are repositories of a noteworthy historic and cultural heritage, ranging from ancient Roman wrecks to medieval churches, from prehistoric fossils to World War II bunkers, and boast some of the region’s most gorgeous landscapes.

Palmaria, just off Portovenere, is the largest of the three islands. Its white rugged cliffs, embraced by dense Mediterranean vegetation, split into a series of grottoes. Your guide will certainly point out the Cave of the Pigeons, located 30 metres above sea level, which can only be accessed by climbing down the cliff on ropes. First explored in 1869 by an intrepid geologist, the cave turned out to be a true treasure trove of archaeological wonders. Inside, prehistoric artefacts dating to the Upper Palaeolithic and Neolithic, including flint scrapers, jasper arrow points, bone awls and perforated shells were unearthed together with the remains of 5000-year-old human burials and fossilized bones of Pleistocene animals such as the ibex, the chamois and the snowy owl. These findings are now housed inside the Museo Civico in La Spezia.

The nearby island of Tino, topped by a 19th century lighthouse, is an inaccessible military zone that opens to visitors only on September 13th, when the celebrations in honour of the patron Saint Venerio are held. On this occasion visitors are allowed to dock at the island and wander through the ruins of an 11th century abbey dedicated to the saint who is said to have lived here as a hermit until his death in 630. More astounding still, as your guide will explain, is that what you can spot on the surface is only half the story. Indeed, underwater research has led to an extraordinary discovery. Ancient terracotta wine amphoras resting on the seabed at a depth of 400 metres, 17 miles south of Tino, are evidence of a tragic event that occurred as far back as the 4th or 3rd century BC, when a Roman vessel, probably headed for Gallia, vanished in the waters only to be rediscovered in 2012.

Last but not least, Tinetto, the smallest of the three islands, is the site of ruins of a 6th century monastery, the first ever to be built on the islands, some fascinating submerged caves and a very rare species of lizard… a remarkable record for a rocky outcrop, don’t you agree?

Cruise back to the mainland and drop anchor at pretty Portovenere, elegantly perched on the edge of the Gulf of Poets since the 1st century BC. Vividly painted rows of tall houses huddle together along the waterfront, proudly overlooked by the 12th century Doria Castle, a magnificent example of Genoese military architecture. After some free time for lunch follow your guide on a leisurely stroll through the town centre, along narrow streets lined with quaint shops and cafes, pausing to admire its iconic landmarks. Not to be missed are the Church of San Pietro, in its striking location on the stony headland, and the Romanesque Church of San Lorenzo, housing a miraculous image of the Madonna Bianca, as well as precious 14th and 15th century paintings.

In the afternoon your chauffeur will pick you up at the parking area and drive you back to your accommodation.